The present invention relates generally to utility bags and specifically to soft-sided utility bags useful as locker bags and for airline carry-on bags.
Soft-sided utility bags have become increasingly popular for use as airline carry-on baggage and as sports locker bags. Such soft-sided bags have been found to be sufficiently sturdy, relatively attractive and very lightweight and easy to carry.
An especially popular bag is a generally rectangular utility bag such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,008. In this type of utility bag, a hinged end enclosure opens in doorlike fashion to give access to the interior of the bag. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,008 a bag is disclosed which further comprises a shelf for dividing the bag enclosure into two compartments. The shelf is supported on flexible straps and can be displaced out of the way against the back of the bag when an uninterrupted single volume is desirable.
It would be desirable to have a bag such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,008 which has more than one displaceable shelf so that the bag could be divided into more than two compartments. This would be especially convenient for use as a sports locker bag where one compartment could be used for sports shoes, another compartment for a uniform or workout clothing and a third compartment for baseball caps, sweat bands, sunglasses, etc. Unfortunately, no such bag is known to exist. It would also be desirable for a bag such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,008 to be collapsible so that it could be folded down for convenient storage or transport. Unfortunately, no such bag is known to exist.
There is therefore a need for a soft-sided utility bag having a hinged door-like end whose interior volume can be divided into more than two compartments by horizontal shelves which are within the bag.
There is also a need for such a utility bag which is collapsible for convenient storage and/or transport.